Google Earth profiles ‘heroes’

Google Earth Outreach today unveiled its “heroes project,” a series of videos highlighting the work of organizations using the satellite imaging tool to improve the world.

They include the Surui tribe of Brazil, which — as we wrote about last week — is employing Google Earth in its fight against deforestation in the Amazon.

Other profiled organizations include Project Kaisei, a group tracking the “island” of garbage twice the size of Texas floating in the North Pacific Gyre; Save the Elephants, which is using satellite collars to protect the mammals from poachers; Borneo Orangutan Survival Organization, which is trying to reverse the decline in orangutan populations by encouraging forest adoption; and Appalachian Voices, an environmental group fighting against mountaintop removal coal mining.

“We salute these individuals and groups, and share their wonderful stories with the hope that they will inspire more people to use Google Earth to make the world a better place,” the company said in a blog post.